FAQ

Taking Vitamin D supplements such as Thompsons Vitamin D3, Sanderson Premium Vitamin D, Clinicians Liposomal Vitamin D3 & K2 or Clinicians Sunshine Vitamin D3 with Vitamin K2 can help raise Vitamin D levels in the body quickly. 

In my opinion, individuals who have a well-balanced and healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good protein sources, and healthful fats may little or no benefit in taking multivitamins. This is because a healthful diet should have provided more the nutrients needed for good health. 

However, not everyone can manage a healthy diet due to certain reasons. In this case, multivitamins are recommended. 

There are a certain group of individuals who may benefit from multivitamins including:

– Elderly patients who are at risk due to poor food intake which can be caused by difficulty chewing, swallowing food or low appetite for food. 

– Pregnant women who requires folic acid to help lower the risk of having a baby with spina bifida or anencephaly. Other minerals including iron and calcium are also vital for women who are pregnant. 

– Individuals who suffer from malabsorption conditions such as ulcerative colitis, celiac, illness that prevents adequate absorption due to vomiting, alcoholism may also benefit from multivitamins due to their condition interfering with normal digestion. 

Firstly we will ask you a couple of questions to understand a bigger picture and better understanding of your condition. This includes knowing what medication you are currently taking, any underlying medication conditions, known allergies etc to make sure there are no interactions with the supplements that we are going to introduce. We also have references that we look up to make sure we provide you with the most suitable product available. 

In general, it is okay to crush, break or open supplements unless directions say not to or if it is an extended-release, timed-release, or enteric coated pill.

There are lots of things to remember when travelling and people often forget to bring their medicines along. Here are a list of things that we recommend that you bring along with you on your trip in case of an emergency.

– Analgesic (pain relief) medicine such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen

– Antihistamine tablets for bites, stings or allergies such as Cetirizine or Loratadine

– Cold and flu tablets such as Sudafed PE Sinus Day + Night Relief

– Antacid for indigestion such as Gaviscon chewable tablets

– Diarrhoea medicine such as Imodium (loperamide).

– Blister and wound patches, such as sticking plasters.

– Antiseptic solution for cleaning wounds or bites such as Crystaderm

– Insect repellent

– Fluid and electrolyte replacement powder or tablets, such as Gastrolyte or HYDRAlyte.

– Sunscreen (at least SPF 30+)

In general, children who eat a balanced diet that includes all food groups don’t usually need vitamin or mineral supplements as they get their nutrients from their diet. However, some kids may need to benefit from supplements if they are at risk of deficiencies such as picky eaters, following a vegetarian diet, have medical conditions which affect their ability to absorb nutrients from food. 

As for anti-worm tablets, we only recommend giving children these medications if they are showing signs and symptoms as we do not want to give unnecessary medications if they are not warranted. And if it is certain that they have worms, it is advised to treat the whole family even if people have no signs. If unsure, please talk to one of our pharmacists and we can assist. 

Probiotics are living bacteria and yeasts which, when taken in the right amount, can improve your health. Common bacteria included in probiotic supplements include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species. It can be given as a daily supplement if your child has a relatively sensitive stomach or a digestive problem. It is also recommended to take probiotics when your child is taking antibiotics as they can cause a depletion of good bacteria in their stomach whilst on antibiotics. Please talk to one of our pharmacists so that we can recommend a suitable probiotic for your child. 

Most supplements that are gluten-free or vegan it will be stated clearly on the product label. If unsure, please ask your friendly pharmacist and we can help you look into it.

We are proud of our New Zealand products and would always recommend local brands first as we know they deliver consistently reliable and effective products that you can trust and are mainly research-based products. New Zealand brands include Clinicians, Sandersons, GoodHealth, Nutra-Life, Thompson and Lifestream.